RadioActive 6/11/09

Producers/Hosts: Meredith DeFrancesco, Meg DeFrancesco, Amy Browne

Today we revisit a proposed project in Milbridge, which would offer 6 units of affordable year round housing for farm workers in that community. On Tuesday, community members will vote on a moratorium which could stop the project.
For over two years, the community organization Mano en Mano has been working on the proposed project. Mano en Mano works with the Latino immigrant community in Milbridge, where there are now reportedly 100 to 150 Latino year round residents, 22 of whom are children. The proposed housing, however, is open to any farm worker in the area.
In the past years, two other housing complexes have been built in the town, and none have received the kind of opposition this one has, which appears to be focused more on the fact that many of those who would be served are immigrant workers.
Mano en Mano and supporters of the project say the central issue is adequate and affordable housing for people who are living, working and going to school in the town, a town which has a 77 applicant waiting list for affordable housing opportunities.
Interviews with:
Anais Tomesko, director of Mano en Mano www.manoenmanocenter.org
Jose Ocampo, Marina (last name not used) and Sylvia (last name not used)
All three are immigrants from Mexico who have been working for a variety of farm and fishing industries in the greater Milbridge area, have children and are looking for affordable housing.

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 6/11/09

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

When you hear that a particular radio station is “Number 1 in listeners”
just what that claim is based upon? The answer is Arbitron ratings, and had been for years. But there are some real problems with the way Arbitron has determined listenership in the past and so the company has rolled out a new mechanized device called the Portable People Meter. Alas, the way this new technology has been deployed seems to have problems of its own…

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RadioActive 6/04/09

Producers/Hosts: Meredith DeFrancesco & Amy Browne

1) We talk about Maine efforts to organize against the escalating war in Afghanistan, including increasing pressure on Congress.
2) Bisphenol-A, is an endocrine disrupting chemical used in the polycarbonate plastic found in multiple consumer products, including baby bottles and baby toys. The Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine talks about the need to get it out off retail shelves now. We also discuss Maine’s new “Act to Protect Children’s Health and the Environment from Toxic Chemicals in Toys and Children’s Products”, which requires the state to identify chemicals of high concern, requires manufacturers of products sold within the state to disclose the use of chemicals on the list, and authorizes the state to require that alternative chemicals be used if they exist. Today the Alliance emphasized the need for decisive action and federal policy.
Guests: Lisa Savage, local Maine coordinator for Code Pink
Mike Belliveau, executive director Environmental Health Strategy Center. www.preventharm.org , www.cleanandhealthyme.org

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 6/04/09

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

First a little trivia: at five minutes and six second after 4 a.m. On July 8, 2009, the time will be (in the U.S. convention for representing time)
04:05:06 07/08/09. This will never happen again in our lifetimes.

Meanwhile, if you are thinking of taking a trip to the UK, it might be wise to be really careful not to get arrested, even for picking flowers, lest your DNA wind up in the world’s biggest DNA database and stay there practically forever.

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